Pete Hegseth seeks $350 billion in defense reconciliation funding

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced plans to seek at least $350 billion in defense funding through the reconciliation process, regardless of the outcome of upcoming midterm elections. This push is part of a broader $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 defense topline request aimed at rebuilding military deterrence and addressing future threats.

A significant portion of this funding is directed toward autonomous technology. Hegseth noted that the department is seeking approximately $50 billion in reconciliation funds specifically to accelerate the production of autonomous and robotic systems. The objective is to scale the Pentagon’s stockpile of autonomous weapons from thousands of units to millions.

This effort aligns with a separate $53.6 billion ‘Drone Dominance’ initiative within the fiscal 2027 budget request. That request includes allocations for unmanned system procurement, counter-drone systems, and contested logistics. Additionally, the Department of Defense is moving to establish a new four-star Autonomous Warfare Command to oversee these technological advancements.